Posts tagged transparency
Holding Politicians Accountable
Huffington Post: 'Dark Money' Hits $172 Million In 2012 Election, Half Of Independent Group Spending
Through July 26, politically involved groups that do not disclose their donors have spent at least $172 million on campaigns that include television, radio and Internet advertising, according to a Huffington Post review of FEC reports, advertising buys, press releases and news stories. Total spending by these groups is likely far greater, since they are required to report only a fraction of their spending to the FEC. Politically involved independent groups that publicly disclose their donors, including super PACs, have spent $174 million so far this election cycle.
Great exchange between Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Cato’s Ilya Shapiro at yesterday’s Senate hearing on Citizens United.
Justice Scalia on Campaign Finance
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia talked about campaign finance during an appearance on CNN last night. Here’s what he had to say, via TPM (emphasis added, related to this week’s debate on DISCLOSE):
Asked whether the controversial Citizens United ruling, which affirmed unlimited spending to influence elections, has led to an abuse of the political process, Scalia rejected the view.
“No, I think Thomas Jefferson would have said the more speech the better,” the justice said. “That’s what the First Amendment is all about. So long as the people know where the speech is coming from. … You can’t separate speech from the money that facilitates the speech. It’s utterly impossible. Could you tell newspaper publishers you could only spend so much money in the publication of the newspapers?”
“I think, as I think the framers thought, that the more speech the better. Now, you are entitled to know where the speech is coming from. You know, information as to who contributed what. That’s something else.”
Poor people have to show ID at the polls. Rich people get to buy elections in secret.
— David Waldman (@KagroX)July 16, 2012
The Senate failed to reach the 60 votes needed to move forward with debate on the DISCLOSE Act today.
EXCLUSIVE: NRA Threatens Senators Who Support Campaign Finance Disclosure
Louisville Courier-Journal: Sen. McConnell's disgraceful drive for secrecy
“But the latest political stunt of Sen. McConnell, Senate minority leader and one of Washington’s most powerful Republicans, is more audacious and far more sinister.”
Cynics United: When Did Conservatives Change Their Mind About Campaign Finance Disclosure? (The New Republic)
“Disclosure was waved as a talisman against actual regulation, but when disclosure is an actual option, conservatives treat it as a mortal danger to liberty.”
During my brief involvement with adolescent athletics, I never complained when I got hit or injured. After all, that’s what you sign up for when you play contact sports. Likewise, there’s no place for whining if you’re a billionaire who decides to pour millions of dollars into an election. By massively bankrolling a candidate or cause, you’ve made yourself a public figure. Deal with it.
Sensitive Donors
The Courts have given wealthy individuals the ability to tremendously influence our political process—influence that most people can’t even dream of having–and in a free country, we deserve to know about it.
Conservative hero Justice Antonin Scalia once said about a case involving the disclosure of petition signatures, “running a democracy takes a certain amount of civic courage.” Courage is something you’d think these wealthy donors, many of whom are self-made, would possess in spades.